Manhunt for Kentucky interstate shooter enters fourth day

Jack Aylmer

A TENSE MANHUNTIS STRETCHING INTO ITS FOURTH DAY AS AUTHORITIES IN KENTUCKY CONTINUE THEIR SEARCH FOR A MAN THEY BELIEVE SHOT MULTIPLE PEOPLE  ON INTERSTATE 75. 

FIVE PEOPLE WERE WOUNDED, AND 12 VEHICLES WERE HIT IN THE ATTACK, WHICH HAS LEFT THE RURAL COMMUNITY ON EDGE. 

MULTIPLE COUNTIES REMAIN ON HIGH ALERT AS OFFICIALS WARN RESIDENTS TO STAY VIGILANT, LOCK THEIR DOORS, AND REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY. 

SCHOOLS IN THE AREA HAVE BEEN CLOSED FOR A SECOND DAY. 

AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE SUSPECT, 32-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH COUCH, IS CONTAINED TO A WOODED AREA NEAR I-75. THE SEARCH EXPANDED INTO A NEARBY NATIONAL FOREST THIS WEEK. 

KENTUCKY STATE POLICE UPDATED THE PUBLIC MONDAY, OFFICIALS SAYTHEY ARE APPLYING “STEADY PRESSURE” IN EFFORT TO WEAR COUCH DOWN. 

BY CUTTING OFF HIS ACCESS TO WATER OR FOOD, POLICE SAY THEY WANT TO MAKE COUCH’S SURRENDER THE ONLY VIABLE OPTION.

COUCH’S ABANDONED SUV AND SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPON WERE FOUND NEAR THE CRIME SCENE, BUT DESPITE THE USE OF DRONES, HELICOPTERS, AND GROUND UNITS, THE SUSPECT IS STILL AT LARGE.

THE FORMER ARMY RESERVIST FACES FIVE COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED MURDER AND FIVE COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE ASSAULT, WITH MORE CHARGES EXPECTED. 

AS THE SEARCH CONTINUES, AUTHORITIES URGE RESIDENTS TO REMAIN PATIENT AND STAY SAFE. 

I’M JACK A.

AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS DEVELOPING STORY AND BRING YOU UPDATES AS SOON AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.